Family Field Trip

About a month ago I had been walking with Michelle and we were talking about our words for the year. My goal is to let go so I think about that often but my word for the year is gratitude. Every time I get stressed I try to relax and feel grateful for the many, many good things in my life. But Michelle's word for the year is celebrate and with that in my head, I went home and started researching. I had been wanting to take my kids to see Hamilton in NYC for more than a year but our finances just haven't allowed it. I regularly looked for hotels or tickets and everything was always so expensive. Plus it is nearly impossible to find a time for us to get away. With dance rehearsals every Saturday and now Curtis has baseball and Josh has class and Brandon had his play and now flag football, there is never a time where we are all free. 

But, that day I was feeling like this was just an experience I really wanted to have with Lily before she leaves this summer and so thankfully, things fell into place. I found Hamilton tickets that were very reasonable for a Thursday night before a Friday day off of school so I went for it. Then I was looking for hotels and it is so hard to accommodate six but somehow I found this apartment and it was perfect and quite reasonable so I booked it. I was so excited! I didn't want to tell the kids; I just wanted to tell them that morning that instead of going to school we were going to NYC but Josh convinced me the bigger kids needed to work things out at school and so we told them about two weeks before. It was good too because Lily took her math test and a psychology test early and had to find a sub for her classes at dance that night. The girls missed dance and Curtis missed a practice and they all missed a day of school (and for the reason for absence I always put in family field trip when we're traveling) but it was so fun. We did tell Emma and Brandon two days before but I didn't tell anyone else we were going. I wouldn't have lied if someone had asked me what we were doing over the weekend but no one did so I just kept it to myself. like a delicious little secret that the Darrows were running away for the day.  

We woke up early and left by 7am to drive. I had looked into the bus but the cheap one I used to take got bought out by another company and was too expensive for six of us so we chose to drive and just park the van near our apartment. We had an easy drive and got to the city by 12 pm and we went straight to the West Village for pizza. Josh had picked out two places and we had even listened to a podcast about one of them on the drive so we were stoked. First we went to John's which is very famous and has been around for a long time. I loved it! I liked the crust and we got a margharita pizza which is not usually my favorite but we added pepperoni and it was awesome. Then we walked down the street to another place that has a French name I can't remember right now but I didn't get a slice there. The rest of the family did and they loved it. The place was cool and popular and Josh was so happy to go there and eat pizza and it started us off on a great NYC vibe. 

 

 

Then he and Curtis dropped us off at the Harry Potter store and went to go park by our apartment but there was some difficulty and it took three garages before he found a spot, even though spot hero apparently had a saved spot for us. He was super frustrated and I felt badly that it was so difficult. The rest of us had a great time shopping at the Harry Potter store and drinking butter beer and then we walked uptown to the apartment, stopping at the Lego store on our way. 

 

 

We checked in and our apartment was perfect for us! It was on the 12th floor and was called the penthouse. It had a bunch of beds with a tiny bathroom and tiny kitchen and then a super cool balcony that had the most amazing view of the Empire State Building. It was the coolest little place and Lily was ready to move in. We quickly changed into our nicer clothes and then hustled up to Rockefeller Center so we could do the Top of the Rock. Unfortunately by this point it had gotten pretty cloudy and had actually started snowing. We got up there and couldn't see a darn thing. If we would have had time the next day, we would have bumped our tickets like everyone else must have done because we were pretty much up there alone, which was kind of cool. It was pretty to watch the snow but I was disappointed there was no view of even Central Park. The kids still liked it though and Curtis thought it was very cool so won't he be impressed someday to go back and actually be able to see the city. 

 

  

Then we got more pizza at Rockefeller Center, which I think is my favorite place in New York. We also got Chip City cookies and they were super delicious and we saw the famous ice rink and St. Patrick's cathedral and Radio City and then we walked to Times Square. We did the M&M store and the Disney Store and then got hot dogs and kabobs on the street for dinner before heading to the show. 

 

 

 

It was so exciting to be there with my family. When Michelle and I went a few years ago it was so wonderful to be able to take it in for myself and we had such a fun time. Lily and Emma and Josh love Hamilton and I knew that they would really enjoy seeing the show, especially in NYC, so it was super fun to take them and experience it again with them. I love going to shows; there is something really special about live performances, especially in this digital world. The music just filled the theater and the staging and dancing and everything is just so amazing in person. I had told Brandon the story so he wouldn't ask me a million questions during the show and he did really well and everyone loved it. It was an awesome family experience and something really special I'm glad we got to do together. 

 

  

After the show we of course went to Junior's for cheesecake and then since it was 30 degrees but thankfully not snowing anymore, we walked back to our apartment and got ready for bed. Josh and the big kids chatted on the balcony for awhile but I was freezing and ready for bed. We slept really well until crazy noises woke me and Josh up. I have no idea if it was the pipes or construction or the heater or what it was but it was crazy loud and I'm so glad my kids didn't wake up. Neither Josh or I slept super well, which is unusual for us both but the beds were comfy and the kids slept well so that was a win. 

I wish we could have stayed longer on Friday and done a few other things, especially since it was sunny and nice on Friday, but Lily and Curtis both needed to get back for their activities so we walked to a delicious bagel place and had breakfast and then back to the parking garage and off we went by 8:30 am. We had a super easy drive home while listening to Hamilton music and everyone went off to their practices and that was our fun NYC adventure. We saw the Statue of Liberty from the back as we drove into the city from NJ, the Empire State Building, the Flat Iron building, Rockefeller Center, Times Square, St. Patrick's Cathedral and the World Trade Center, plus we ate bagels, hot dogs and pizza and saw a Broadway show. Not bad for being in the city for less than 24 hours. There is still so much to see and do though and we love NYC so we'll be back!